Cole Hamels vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels compiled 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Cliff Lee put up 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Cole Hamels
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Cole Hamels | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | 143 |
| Losses | 122 | 91 |
| Games | 423 | 328 |
| Games Started | 422 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 17 | 29 |
| Shutouts | 7 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,560 | 1,824 |
| Walks | 767 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,424 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 310 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,698 | 2,156 |
| ERA | 3.43 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 8.54 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads Cole Hamels 41,719 to 32,591 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 1,917 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Cole Hamels — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Cliff Lee owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. Note that PIV actually grades Cliff Lee ahead, which means Cole Hamels's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.